The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved this week a USD 17.0 million Health Services and Social Assistance Project for Moldova. WB Executive Director Herman Wijffels made this announcement in the context of expressing approval for the financial and economic policies promoted by Moldova. The WB official said that Moldova has still a lot of problems to solve, specifying at the same time that despite the present difficulties, the country is handling the situation. According to a press release from the presidential press service, the statements were made at the Friday’s meeting between the head of state, the WB executive director and the IMF executive director, Age Bakker. Vladimir Voronin reaffirmed Moldova’s interest in the assistance from WB, offered for implementing, through the Moldova Social Investment Fund of (MSIF), diverse social project designed for the rehabilitation of social and cultural establishments in the rural area. The president expressed his hope that the WB will support the implementation of the Strategy on the supply of drinking water and sewerage systems, recently approved by the Government, as well as the projects of modernising the road infrastructure throughout the country. IMF Executive Director Age Bakker reaffirmed for his part the IMF’s support for the macroeconomic and budgetary policies and for the structural reforms carried out by Moldova, remarking that the Moldovan authorities managed to maintain a certain macroeconomic stability despite the external shocks occurred in 2006. Age Bakker also reminded in that connection that IMF increased assistance for our country under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) Programme. In addition, the IMF official underlined that the second country review conducted by the IMF showed that the performance of the government has generally been positive, which brings confidence of having the approval of the IMF Board of Directors, expected to convene in July, for a next instalment under PRGF. The high officials are participating in the IMF/BM Constituency meeting, taking place in Moldova for the first time.